the methodical way the new appointments are announced

I am very impressed at the way the new administration, of Barak Obama is announcing the key positions and who will be in place. If I am not mistaken, it is unprecedented, namely the thought and careful planning that appears to be going into each appointment along with the rational being discussed as to the whys and wherefores of each appointment.

This start bodes well for how the problems of the day will be handled and delegated, especially as the policy will be set by the new president and senior people will be responsible for carrying out the policy, even though it is likely that they may not agree with  some of the methods of achieving the objectives.

I would like to be a fly on the wall to witness the debate amongst the intellectuals putting forward their individual points of view being moderated by the President and then decisions finally made by the President who will be eventually responsible for the outcome, and accept blame where they fail, as indeed many will just as a matter of course.

I am also interested in seeing the order of play, to determine what issues will be tackled first along with the economic crisis which seems to get worse as each day goes by. Come inauguration day the economic mess will be so great, people will wonder why we are spending money on the inauguration when there are more important areas to concentrate on. I hope the celebrations will be muted just for that reason.

We haven't seen nothing yet, as far as the economic crisis is concerned. We are heading for a 1930s style depression which will scar a whole generation, just as it did that past generation. My ancestors suffered directly as a result of the Great Depression, and I expect many of my contemporaries and relatives as well as myself to suffer now. How much we suffer and for how long is something I cannot predict, but suffer we will.

It is therefore important that a disciplined way is adopted in dealing with the crisis at hand. I therefore am glad that the signs are good. With an unflappable President I am sure we will confront the crisis with the best person at the helm, as we will sink, and he will guide us in the water to safety, but not before we actually sink. So don't  blame him for the sinking ship, as the holes had already been made before he took charge as captain and he is doing his best to plug these holes. In this process, we may delay the speed with which we will sink and the boat may not capsize and we will have to thank him for saving the boat from capsizing, not blame him for sinking!!

Those who are fortunate to read this blog will know I am seeing the picture ahead much clearer than most people who are not inclined to believe my opinion on the severity of the recession, which is likely to become a depression. We just seem to be escapists and are currently unwilling to accept that this is a possibility. A student of history would however point to the sure signs of depression and as there are few students of history and those who do not believe that history will repeat itself will be living in total denial until it actually happens.

I am not at all being alarmist, I am just being a realist as this has to happen, as there is no concerted effort to avoid this problem. The bandaid that is being applied is just not enough to prevent the bleeding, and the stitches that are eventually required will take a longer time to heal as we are not ready to accept the inevitable.

The point to realize is that there is more to life than economics. We just need just enough to live and everything else is just icing on the top. So we can survive this onslaught when we get a grip of our lives and decide what is really most important to us. Materialism is not the answer, so we go back to spirituality and family and friends.